Because they are expressions about learning, school or education, student voice can also include art, handraising, fighting, bullying, classroom participation, speaking at school board meetings, texting, attendance, students teaching, homework completion, self-assertion, tardiness, device usage, student newspapers, websites, evaluations, and much more.

Student Voice is Not the Same as…

Meaningful student involvement, which is a process for engaging students as partners in school improvement for the sake of education, community, and democracy.

Student engagement, which is the excitement and investment a young person feels towards learning

Who Can Listen to Student Voice?

Every adult working in education effectively has authority over students. This gives every adult the moral responsibility to listen to Student Voice.

Students

Classroom teachers

Building leaders

School support staff

School board members

District and state school leaders

Education agency officials

Education policy-makers

Curriculum makers

Education researchers

Politicians

Student Voice is About Action.

Student Voice allows students to share who they are, what they believe, and why they believe what they do with their peers, parents, teachers, and their entire school. Student Voice can be engaged in dozens of ways in classrooms and schools.

Student Voice is About Process.

As the list above shows, there are dozens of ways to actually engage student voice in schools. However, there are five primary steps that every responsible educator should take when working to infuse Student Voice in their practice. These steps make up the Cycle of Engagement.

Published by Adam Fletcher

Adam is the founding director of SoundOut. An author, speaker and consultant, he has worked with K-12 schools, districts, nonprofits and others for more than 15 years. Learn more about him at http://soundout.org/Adam
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